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Csonka’s NJPW G1 29 (Night Seven) Review

July 20, 2019 | Posted by Larry Csonka
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Csonka’s NJPW G1 29 (Night Seven) Review  

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Csonka’s NJPW G1 29 (Night Seven/Block A) Review

OFFICIAL RESULTS
– Zack Sabre Jr. defeated Bad Luck Fale @ 6:30 via countout [**]
– Hiroshi Tanahashi defeated Lance Archer @ 12:05 via pin [***½]
– KENTA defeated EVIL @ 15:03 via pin [***¾]
– Kota Ibushi defeated SANADA @ 19:10 via pin [***½]
– Kazuchika Okada defeated Will Ospreay @ 22:00 via pin [****½]


– Follow all of my reviews at this link.

Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Bad Luck Fale: Zack Sabre Jr. called Fale, “Fat Bollocks of the Chode Club” after their interaction yesterday; he’s a wise man. Jado is at ringside, but still no calming influence of Taka for Sabre. Sabre charges and locks on a guillotine, but Fale powers out and Sabre locks on a sleeper. Fale slams him down but Sabre looks for a knee bar but Fale drags him to the ropes. Sabre then attacks the arm, but gets whipped to he buckles and Fale hits a corner splash. Sabre counters an elbow drop and looks for an arm bar, transitions to a triangle, but Fale powers out and hits a clothesline. Sabre counters bad luck fall into an octopus hold, kimuras the arm and Jado hits him with the kendo and Owens then attacks Sabre on the floor. Fale then lays the boots to him on the floor and whips him to the barricade as they brawl into the crowd. Fale just beats on him as they work up and into the second level. Sabre counters bad luck fall and Fale then hits Owens, and Sabre locks on a ganging arm bar. Sabre now runs back to the ring and beats the count and wins. Zack Sabre Jr. defeated Bad Luck Fale @ 6:30 via countout [**] I love a crafty countout win in these tournaments as Sabre finally gets on the board. The match was only ok, but Sabre was brilliant here.

Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Lance Archer: Archer is 0-2 all time against Tanahashi in the G1. Tanahashi attacks with dropkicks to the knees to begin, hits a plancha and then whips Archer to the barricades. Archer quickly fires back and hits an apron chokeslam, and follows with a cannonball off of the apron. He slams Tanahashi to the barricade, and then the apron. Archer rolls him back in and chokes him out. Tanahashi fires back, but Archer drops him with chops, Tanahashi goes back to the knee but runs into a black hole slam for 2. Archer follows with a clothesline, and covers for 2. He grounds the action. Archer talks shit and says he’s the ace now. He looks for a cloverleaf, but Tanahashi kicks him away and looks for a German but Archer cuts him off with corner elbows. Tanahashi finally cuts him off with sling blade, and hits a grounded dragon screw, and the cloverleaf is fought off by Archer until Tanahashi hits another dragon screw. Sling blade is stopped, and the pounce follows. He takes him up top and Tanahashi fires back, but Archer slams him to the mat. Archer then goes old school, but Tanahashi counters into twist and shout and the sling blade follows for 2. Tanahashi up top and high cross is countered into a choke slam for 2. Archer follows with the twisting splash for 2. He calls for the claw, but Tanahashi fights him off but Archer gets it and Tanahashi make the ropes. Archer takes him up top, looks for blackout, but Tanahashi gets the victory roll for the win. Hiroshi Tanahashi defeated Lance Archer @ 12:05 via pin [***½] This was really good with Archer dominating and looking good again (he’s the viable NJPW monster, not Fale) until Tanahashi overcame in the end.

KENTA vs. EVIL: EVIL attacks with kicks, takes control with a headlock and grounds the action. KENTA fights back and EVIL drags him back to the mat. KENTA escapes with strikes, but EVIL mows him down. KENTA now fires back with kicks, but EVIL pops up and they work to the ropes. KENTA grounds him and follows with kicks, but EVIL powers up and cuts him off with a sidekick and dumps him. He follows and whips him to he barricade. EVIL gets a chair and nails KENTA. He wraps one around his head and the baseball swing spot follows. They brawl into the hallway and EVIL slams him into the wall. They work back ringside and into the crowd. EVIL piles up chairs and KENTA fights off the suplex, they fight over it and KENTA finally suplexes EVIL onto the chairs. KENTA lays the boots to him and poses. Back to ringside and KENTA follows with rights and rolls him back in. KENTA up top and the flying clothesline follows for 2. He follows with corner kicks, face washes, and EVIL fires up with clotheslines, they trade and EVIL hits the big lariat. The fisherman’s suplex follows for 2. EVIL hits face washes, but KENTA counters back with the powerslam. KENTA now follows with the missile dropkick, corner boot and Shibata dropkick. The top rope double stomp follows for 2. They work into counters, and EVIL counters go to sleep into a German. They go face-to-face and trade strikes, firing up and EVIL rocks him and EVIL follows with a head butt. Darkness falls follows for 2. Everything is evil is countered into a backslide for 2. The small package also gets 2. EVIL hits the lariat and that gets 2. He drops the elbow pad and KENTA counters with the busaiku knee for 2. He hits another and EVIL kicks out again. EVIL blocks the PK, but KENTA takes him down, hits the PK and go to sleep connects for the win. KENTA defeated EVIL @ 15:03 via pin [***¾] This was another very good match, hard-hitting and filled with fun counter work as KENTA remains undefeated. KENTA is slowly becoming more comfortable and is at his best when he’s being an asshole like he was here.

Kota Ibushi vs. SANADA: This is an unofficial handsome battle. They lock up and Ibushi looks to work the arm, SANADA counters out and Ibushi then grounds him. The cravat follows, SANADA escapes, they pick up the pace and Ibushi then walks away from a dropkick attempt. SANADA looks annoyed. They play to the crowd, who are split. Lock up and they work to the ropes, Ibushi breaks clean and then teases a paradise lock, SANADA dumps him and teases a dive. Ibushi flies back in with a missile dropkick, and starts favoring his ankle so he grounds the action. SANADA fights and rolls, but Ibushi maintains control until SANADA makes the ropes. SANADA fires up and lays in chops. Ibushi dare s him to keep throwing, he does and Ibushi hits kicks, but the standing moonsault eats knees. SANADA now works into the international and hits the dropkick and follows with the plancha. Back in and Ibushi fights off the suplex, but SANADA follows with knee strikes and then runs into the powerslam and Ibushi follows with the springboard moonsault for 2. he lays in a flurry of strikes and kicks, and then cradles SANADA for 2 They trade pin attempts and SANADA takes out the knee and then gets cut off with the running double stomp. Ibushi is slow to follow up, they come face to face and trade strikes from their knees. They fight to their feet, keep trading and Ibushi is rocked but he fires back with kicks. SANADA lays in uppercuts, more kicks from Ibushi as they continue to trade. SANADA follows with rights, counters the kick and then gets decapitated with a lariat. The last ride follows for 2. Ibushi looks for kamigoye, but SANADA counters and gets the backslide and he rolls into a kamigoye for 2. SANADA then misses the moonsault, Bom a ye by Ibushi… but he’s down clutching at his leg and can’t follow up. SANADA now locks on skull end, but Ibushi counters and lawn darts SANADA into the buckles. Ibushi gets to his feet, but SANADA fights of the suplex, but eats a PELE. He rebounds with a spin kick, gets skull end and spins Ibushi around and Ibushi counters out and hits the high kick. Ibushi follows with bom a ye for 2. He drops the kneepad, and kamigoye connects for the win. Kota Ibushi defeated SANADA @ 19:10 via pin [***½] This was very good, but worked much differently than you’d expect due to Ibushi’s ankle injury. There were still great displays of athleticism here and they worked very well together and used some really great counter work, but while the action was all really good, for me, it lacked in overall drama.

Will Ospreay vs. Kazuchika Okada: Ospreay is 0-3 all time against Okada. They lock up, with Okada looking to ground things and keep Ospreay from flying around. Ospreay counters out and grounds Okada. Okada counters out and takes control back, but Ospreay uses some slick counters to get back to his feet and they work into a stand off. They work into a test of strength, Okada takes control and follows with a shoulder tackle. Ospreay picks up the pace, hits a monkey flip and teases the dive. He invites Okada aback in, and attacks with kicks and strikes. He follows with chops and elbow strikes but Okada then dropkicks him to the floor. Okada invites him back in and Ospreay slowly rolls back in and Okada starts attacking the neck with elbow strikes. The slam and senton atomico follows, goes back to the neck but Ospreay fires back with chops. Okada fires back and drops him with a forearm strike. The corner elbow follows but Ospreay counters the DDT into a suplex. He follows with forearms, counters, and then the back handspring kick connects. Ospreay now hits the springboard forearm for 2. Okada fights off storm breaker, but Ospreay fires away with vicious chops. The enziguri follows, but Okada counters 619 into an air raid neck breaker. Okada hits John Woooooo and follows with the slam. He heads up top and the elbow drop follows. Rainmaker pose, but Ospreay fights him off and works into counters, hits the head kick, avoids the dropkick but Okada counters the shooting star press and finally hits the dropkick. The tombstone follows and Ospreay then counters rainmaker into a cradle for 2. The Robinson special connects and Okada counters the oscutter with a dropkick, sending Ospreay to the floor. Okada brings him to the apron. Ospreay fights for his life, they trade strikes, and Okada starts to target the neck again. They trade, Ospreay hits elbow strikes and hits a head kick and heads up top, but Okada cuts him off and teases a tombstone on the floor but Ospreay escapes and hits the hook kick and oscutter on the floor! Ospreay rolls back in and Okada follows but Ospreay hits the coast to coat dropkick on the way back in and covers for 2. The oscutter connects for a GREAT near fall. Ospreay pulls Okada up and looks for a super oscutter, but Okada counters into a German, hangs on and Ospreay counters the rainmaker and runs into a dropkick. The rainmaker is countered into a Spanish fly for a GREAT near fall. Ospreay up top and the shooting star press connects for 2 again! Ospreay looks for storm breaker, but Okada counters into a tombstone attempt, Ospreay reverses and he hits the tombstone! Hook kick by Ospreay, but Okada counters storm breaker into the rainmaker! He looks for another and hits it. Okada looks for the hat trick, but Ospreay counters into storm breaker, but Okada counters out into a spinning rainmaker and the rainmaker proper finishes it. Kazuchika Okada defeated Will Ospreay @ 22:00 via pin [****½] This worked and delivered on every level, as Okada’s offense focuses on the neck and head to set up for the rainmaker, which played into the established Ospreay injury. The first half set the table well and they then worked into an absolutely great, counter-filled, closing stretch that made it feel like it was finally Ospreay’s night to finally beat Okada, but while Ospreay unloaded with everything he had, he just couldn’t pull it off and fell to 0-4 against Okada in an absolutely excellent effort from both. If I had two legs, I’d have been up and pacing around the room as it was just electric.G1 29 Block A
* KENTA: (4-0), 8pts.
* Kazuchika Okada: (4-0), 8pts
* Hiroshi Tanahashi: (2-2), 4pts
* Lance Archer: (2-2), 4pts.
* EVIL: (2-2), 4pts..
* Kota Ibushi: (2-2), 4pts.
* Will Ospreay: (1-3), 2pts.
* SANADA: (1-3), 2pts..
* Zack Sabre Jr: (1-3), 2pts.
* Bad Luck Fale: (1-3), 2pts.

G1 29 Block B
* Jon Moxley: (3-0), 6pts.
* Big Tom Ishii: (2-1), 4pts.
* Shingo: (2-1), 4pts.
* Juice Robinson: (2-1), 4pts.
* Toru Yano: (2-1), 4pts.
* Tetsuya Naito: (1-2), 2pts.
* Hirooki Goto: (1-2), 2pts.
* Taichi: (1-2), 2pts.
* Adorable Hawaiian Buddha Jeff Cobb: (1-2), 2pts.
* Jay White: (0-3), 0pts.

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The 411 on Wrestling Podcast returns to the 411 Podcasting Network for episode 37. On the show, the good brother, Steve Cook, joins 411’s Larry Csonka and the guys will examine the decision to put the Universal championship back on Brock Lesnar, thoughts on EVOLVE 131, Alexa Bliss’ childish reaction to her Raw match, early Summerslam thoughts and more. The show is approximately 84-minutes long.

* Intro
* Examining Brock Lesnar as Universal Champion & The MITB Crutch: 7:10
* Looking at Alexa Bliss Crying Over Negative Fan Reaction: 17:50
* Is WWE playing a dangerous game by continually announcing things and not delivering?: 27:45
* AEW Using WCW Personalities: 32:15
* Early Summerslam Card Thoughts: 38:50
* EVOLVE 131 Thoughts: 54:50

You can subscribe and listen to the 411 on Wrestling Podcast via the above player on Transistor, or on the following platforms:

* iTunes
* Spotify
* Stitcher
* Google Play

– End Scene.

– Thanks for reading.

8.0
The final score: review Very Good
The 411
Night seven of the NJPW G1 29 was another really strong night of action with some interesting changes in the standings, Sabre finally getting on the board, and an excellent main event that sets up an undefeated KENTA vs. an undefeated Okada.
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